Tagged: Kerry Wood

Some of the best stories in sports are the stories of comebacks. Most people are familiar with Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers, who was a highly touted prospect but fell victim to temptation and drugs. He worked as hard as he could and made it back to become one of MLB’s best players.

If you are a football fan, David Tyree’s name comes to mind. He was arrested and lost everything, becoming another athlete with a drug addiction. Yet he exorcised his demons and eventually had the huge “helmet catch” to help propel the New York Giants to a 17-14 Super Bowl victory in 2008 over the undefeated New England Patriots.

The so-called “rise up from the ashes” tale is one everyone enjoys – not just sports fans.

At 30, life in baseball has seemingly not yet begun for Mark Prior. Stemming back to his debut in 2002 with the Chicago Cubs, he has a history of injuries and he has never really been able to recover from them. You name it, Prior has been through it.

Hamstring injuries, Achilles injuries, shoulder surgery, elbow strains, a tweaked oblique, tendinitis – he has not had an easy career considering all these problems.

Although he has been hurt most of his career, he still holds a lifetime record of 42-29 with an ERA of 3.51, and he has fanned 757 lifetime batters. He was the second overall pick (in the first round) by the Cubs in the 2001 draft and he even made the National League All-Star team in 2003. That being said, he has the makings of a very good pitcher.

Now, if he can only find a way to translate it to his career without getting hurt.

Since leaving the Cubs after 2007, Prior has bounced around baseball. He tried to make it with the San Diego Padres, but never pitched a Major League game for them. He was released by the Padres in August of 2009 and in June of 2010 he went back to USC, where he had previously attended College.

He worked out for a Major League scout, but was deemed “just all right.”

In September of last year Prior agreed to a deal with an independent team – the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League. Exactly a month after he had agreed to play for the Flyers, he signed a Minor League contract to pitch for the Texas Rangers. He made it clear that he wanted to pitch for a Major League club and hoped to catch on with the Rangers in a middle or long relief role.

Obviously he didn’t get a roster spot on the Rangers, but that didn’t mean he was giving up.

This past off-season the Yankees signed Prior to a Minor League deal. He has only pitched one inning this spring- a perfect frame against the Detroit Tigers on Monday March 1. He has also been working out with the team consistently and hopes to accomplish what he didn’t with Texas – receive a spot in the bullpen as a middle or long reliever.

In a recent interview with the YES Network, Prior described his arm strength as “good” and stated that he needs to prove that he can stay healthy. One of his goals this spring is to show everyone what he is made of.

“I want to show everybody that I can stay healthy and I can still pitch,” he told YES. “I know how to pitch. My stuff may not be what it used to be, but it’s still good enough to get guys out at this level.”

Prior added that he wants to get comfortable pitching in games.

At the trade deadline last season, the Yankees acquired Kerry Wood, who was Prior’s teammate for five years on the Cubs. At one time the two were considered a “dynamic duo,” if you will, being the Cubs’ top tier starting pitchers. Like Prior, Wood sustained a number of injuries and analysts and fans questioned his ability to return from them and effectively pitch.

Wood proved to everyone that he can indeed still pitch, as he went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA down the stretch for the Yankees. He was also instrumental in fortifying the Yankee bullpen, acting as the bridge to Mariano Rivera for the second half of 2010.

Prior was happy to see his former teammate succeed in pinstripes.

“I know Woody had a great time here, he really enjoyed himself here, and I think it revitalized him to continue on and keep playing,” he said.

“He pitched outstanding the last two months of the season for the Yankees and hopefully I can do just as good a job as he did.”

Everyone loves a comeback story. And this year Prior might be the guy the fans look at and say, “He’s the guy who rose above; the guy no one believed in, but he proved us wrong.”

That would be (Pedro) Feliciano, (Rafael) Soriano, and Mariano (Rivera).

Right now I am picturing Michael Kay and the rest of the YES commentators and analysts calling them by this nickname. And somehow, I get the feeling that I’ll be sitting down watching a game and Kay will blurt out to John Flaherty,

“Flash, I just came up with the perfect nickname for the Yankee ‘pen: The -ianos. It makes perfect sense!”

Then Flaherty will respond with something like,

“Michael, you always come up with these funny names. You are a genius .”

Then of course I will become upset, yelling at the TV set about how I came up with it first.

Hopefully the Yankee ‘pen will make some noise next year. Former Yankee reliever Jeff Nelson already said the blueprint for the 2011 Yankee bullpen reminds him of the corps of relief pitchers from the Yankee Dynasty from 1996-2000.

That’s a good sign.

“The -ianos” will most likely make up the heart of the bullpen and did well for what it was worth in 2010. With the Mets last season Feliciano was 3-6 with a 3.30 ERA, but was able to dominate most lefties. He only gave up eight extra base hits to hitters batting from the left side of the plate. They only hit .211 against him and he allowed no home runs to left-handed hitters in 92 appearances.

That kind of brilliance will be used to counter David Ortiz and the rest of the A.L. power lefties.

Soriano, as most people know, agreed to a three-year deal with the Yankees last Thursday. The 31 year-old flame-throwing righty will be the eight inning man in the absence of Kerry Wood, who returned to the Chicago Cubs. Soriano led the A.L. in saves last year with 45 for the Tampa Bay Rays.

According to several reports, the decision to sign Soriano was not the decision of Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman. In fact, he was not happy the deal went down, probably because the Yankees paid around $35 million for him and lost their number one draft pick.

Today Soriano was introduced at Yankee Stadium in a press conference and had an apparent exchange with the Yanks’ GM.

One source said Cashman’s conversation with Soriano went something like this:

Soriano: “I’m happy to be a Yankee.”

Cashman: “And we’re happy that you’re a Yankee, too. Although I’d personally be happy with other players instead.”

That would make me terribly uncomfortable.

In any event, Soriano is a Yankee. And he best live up to his contract, or else Cashman will be standing in front of all the executives who pushed for Soriano, smiling and saying, “I told you so.”

Rounding out “The -ianos” is who else but the Sandman, Mariano Rivera. There’s really no need to even go into detail about Rivera’s capability. He is a legend. Last year he picked up 33 saves and boasted a trim ERA of 1.80. He signed a two-year deal this off-season, meaning the Yankees will be treated to his services for at least another two seasons.

Mo is Mo and I expect another solid year from him.

With the bullpen pieces in place, the Yankee relievers should make life easier for the starters. But just remember, if Kay, Flaherty, or anyone else for that matter calls them “The -ianos” and says it’s their idea…

I apologize for not blogging in quite awhile. I have been busy with work and the holidays set me back, so I haven’t really had a chance to do a lot of Yankee Yapping.

Since my last blog entry, Cliff Lee signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, going back to the city of brotherly love for his second tour of duty. Am I upset the Yankees didn’t land him?

Yes, but only because he was really their only option. Andy Pettitte is expected to retire any day now and looking at things objectively, the Yankees have about two and a half pitchers in their rotation: CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and A.J. Burnett, who counts as a half a pitcher.

I checked out the free agent starters on the open market. There’s not much to look at, unless you count Carl Pavano and Ted Lilly as top-notch pitchers–both of whom have already faltered in pinstripes in the past.

Pedro Feliciano is coming across town from the Mets. Who knows how he will do, but he better pitch well. Kerry Wood is headed back to the Chicago Cubs, which upset me. He was probably the best part of our bullpen towards the end of last season, outside of Mariano Rivera.

Russell Martin came over from Joe Torre’s Dodgers, and hopefully he will exhibit better skills behind the plate (at least in terms of throwing out runners) than Jorge Posada, who has already been named the 2011 designated hitter.

Posada lost his starting catcher job. Sad, because more likely than not, this is his last year as a Yankee.

Reportedly, the Yankees were talking to Johnny Damon about a possible return. I hope he does come back because I have always liked him. It was a mistake to lose him to Detroit in the first place and I hope a deal can be reached. He would definitely improve the lineup, because everywhere he goes, the team gets better.

I really don’t know what to expect for 2011. I know the Red Sox have certainly improved, adding Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, and Bobby Jenks–joining the already dynamic group of players the Red Sox have, like David Ortiz (who can still hit for power) Dustin Pedroia (pesky little punk) Kevin Youkilis (annoying, strong hitter) and J.D. Drew (who can’t stay healthy with any team but Boston).

Buster Olney already compared the 2011 Red Sox to the Yankee Dynasty teams of the late 1990s.

As much as that scares me, it doesn’t make sense. They haven’t played a game yet. Who knows what kind of team chemistry the BoSox will showcase, and if they will click or stay healthy, or even pitch effectively. I mean, they haven’t even played a game yet.

On paper, they are the best team in the American League. But as Derek Jeter always says, “On paper doesn’t win you ballgames.”

Still, Boston scares me. Their off-season reminds me of what they did prior to 2007 and they went on to win the World Series that year. They missed the playoffs in 2006 and came storming back with a great off-season and a Championship year to follow.

I get the feeling they can do that again, as much as I hate to admit it. Boston is stacked.

But enough about that. Now that I have outlined some of the dreadful thoughts for this upcoming season, and in the spirit of the New Year, I’ll review the top 10 Yankee moments/plays of 2010.

10) CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes Flirt with No-Hitters

2010 was definitely the year of the pitcher. Perfect games and no-hitters were thrown by the likes of Roy Halladay, Ubaldo Jimenez, Dallas Braden, Matt Garza, Edwin Jackson…and almost by Armando Galarraga, but we all know what happened there.

So close. But the Yankees won 10-0 and Sabathia picked up his first win of the year–his first of 21 wins.

Fast forward to 11 days later in Oakland and Phil Hughes on the hill.

The Yankees played the Athletics on April 21, and Hughes nearly tossed a no-no of his own. The 23 year-old righty stud pitched 7 1/3 innings before giving up a come-backer to Eric Chavez–a hit that caromed off Hughes himself. He ended the night with 10 strikeouts, a career-high for him. He only walked two batters.

Although he did not get the no-hitter, the Yankees once again prevailed, beating Oakland 3-1.

On April 13 the Yankees celebrated their 27th Championship with a ring ceremony and a game vs. the Los Angeles Angels. It was a glorious day and it meant a lot to me, spending it with my friends and family.

My cousin Thomas got a batting practice ball, the Yankees got their 2009 World Series rings, and I got a whole bunch of memories that will last for the rest of my life.

Down 9-7 in the bottom of the ninth, Alex Rodriguez clobbered a game-tying home run off Yankee pariah/ Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Marcus Thames came up later in the frame and crushed a walk-off home run deep into the left field seats to end the game. Yankees 11, Red Sox 9.

Papelbon walks off in shame, Thames walks off the hero. And the Yankee fans go home with smiles on their faces.

7) Grand Ol’ Days

The Yankees smacked 10 grand slams this season, more bases-loaded home runs in one season than I can ever remember.

Alex Rodriguez had three: May 14 vs. the Minnesota Twins, May 31 vs. the Cleveland Indians, and July 7 at Oakland. Rodriguez now has 21 career grand slams, and he will tie Lou Gehrig for most career grannies (23) if he hits two slams next season.

Jorge Posada crushed two grand slams this year: June 12 and 13 vs. the Houston Astros. Two grand slams in as many games–now that’s impressive.

Curtis Granderson smacked a granny in Baltimore against the Orioles on June 8.

On July 3, Brett Gardner crushed his first career grand slam at home vs. the Blue Jays, a game my friends and I were going to attend. We opted instead to make a trip to Cooperstown to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

It’s safe to say the Yankees did a number on opposing pitching when the bases were loaded in 2010. What’s more, the Bronx Bombers won every game they hit a grand slam in.

6) Derek Jeter’s Inside-the-Park Home Run

On July 22, Derek Jeter rounded the bases all the way for an inside-the-park home run in the Yankees’ game against the Kansas City Royals. It was only his second career in-the-parker, and ironically enough, his first also came against the Royals.

One could argue it was not exactly the prettiest inside-the-park home run, because center fielder David DeJesus had a play on the ball. He could not come down with it however, and he crashed into the plexiglass in right-center field. Jeter caught a break and was able to motor all the way around to tie the game at three.

DeJesus injured himself on the play and was taken out of the game. If he hadn’t fallen down, Jeter may not have been able to complete the home run.

In any event, it was one of the coolest home runs of the year. The Yankees went on to beat the Royals that day by a score of 10-4.

In June the Yanks met the Dodgers for a three-game series during interleague play and for the first time since 2007, the Yankees saw their old skipper Joe Torre. It was an interesting weekend; a turning point in the Yankees’ 2010 season.

The Dodgers and Yanks rekindled their old rivalry and traded victories in the first two games. Los Angeles handed the Yankees a decisive 9-4 win in the second game while the Bombers slipped past the Dodgers 2-1 in the first game.

The rubber game looked to belong to the Dodgers, as they led 6-2 in the ninth with flamethrower Jonathan Broxton on the mound. The resilient Yanks would not have any of it, as they rallied to score four runs in the ninth to knot the game at six.

An RBI double by Robinson Cano, a two-run double by Chad Huffman, and a fielder’s choice by Curtis Granderson, and the Yankees are back in it.

Cano came up in the top of the tenth, belting a long two-run home run to left-center. The Yankees went on to win 8-6 and beat their former teacher, winning the series 2-1.

I cannot speak for the rest of the Yankee fans, but to me, it felt SWEET to beat Torre. Sweet.

4) Mark Teixeira’s Big Day in Boston

Once, twice, three times the “Tex Message.”

The Yankees visited the Red Sox on May 8, beating them 14-3. It was one of those great days to be a Yankee fan, to say the least.

Mark Teixeira accounted for a large amount of the scoring, hitting three home runs and driving in five runs on a total of four hits. He scored three runs and became only the second Yankee in history to hit three homers in one game off Boston–second only to Lou Gehrig.

I can remember watching that game with so much joy. Anytime the Yankees embarrass the Red Sox on a Saturday afternoon Fox Game of the Week, it’s a good day.

What also made it more enjoyable was what happened afterward.

The YES Network hosted their “Extra Innings” postgame show, where they ask the audience to write in their thoughts, ideas, or comments. If they like them they use them on the show.

I noticed how Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre had eight errors to that point in the season, and it was only May 8. I wrote in a comment and it made it to TV. The YES Network analysts said my name on TV and discussed my comment on the show.

There could not have been a better way to cap off a big Yankee win over the Red Sox.

The Yankees swept the Twins in the ’09 American League Division Series and did the same in 2010. This year the Yankees did not have home field advantage and had to win two games at Target Field before coming home to clinch the division.

In all honesty, I thought this year might be the Twins’ moment; I thought it may have been time for the Twins to get over the hump and finally beat the Yanks in the playoffs.

No such luck.

Another year, another early exit at the hands of the Yankees for Minnesota.

Although the ALCS was painful–unbearably, absoluteLEE painful–to watch, sweeping the Twins was a great start to October. After the Yanks swept, I thought history would repeat itself yet again. Unfortunately the magic vanished to the Texas Rangers.

But nothing can take away the feeling of beating the Twins. It was a great feeling.

2) 600

Alex Rodriguez, one way or another, is going down in the history books. Whether or not people recognize him as the greatest hitter of all-time, or just another major leaguer who tried to cheat the system, he will always be known and remembered.

On Aug. 4 A-Rod crushed his 600th career home run–exactly three years to the day after he hit his 500th home run. He joined baseball’s “600 Home Run Club” with the likes of Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Sammy Sosa.

A lot of folks, namely the New York Daily News, were quick to judge Rodriguez’s home run as a tainted accomplishment. Many people and baseball fans believe that because Rodriguez admitted steroid usage in his career, the feat means nothing.

Me on the other hand…well, I believe it still means a lot. I have offered my opinion on steroids and do not condone drug usage. However, I believe it takes more than steroids to hit 600 home runs. Plenty of players who were on the juice never came close to 100 home runs, let alone 600.

I still consider it a great moment for A-Rod and a great moment for the Yankee organization.

1) The Game for the Boss and Sheppard

On July 13 the Yankees lost their principle owner. I used to refer to George Steinbrenner as “The Godfather” of the Yankees, and this season he lost his life at the age of 80.

Steinbrenner was the longest tenured Yankee owner in team history and he died just two days after the Yanks lost their longtime public address announcer, the legendary Bob Sheppard.

On July 16, the Yanks’ first game following the All-Star break–and more importantly their first game after losing their Boss (and only their second game after losing Sheppard), they dramatically rallied back to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4.

The night started off in emotional fashion. The team could barely hold in their tears and Jeter, our fearless captain, could hardly keep himself together as he addressed the crowd during the pregame ceremony. There was a two-minute period of dead silence during the ceremony, and not one Yankee fan made a peep.

All that was heard throughout Yankee Stadium during those two minutes: the whipping sounds of the flags blowing in the wind and a passing subway train. That’s how much respect Sheppard and Steinbrenner commanded.

Mariano Rivera placed two long-stemmed roses over home plate in remembrance of their fallen comrades.

The Yanks scuffled a bit during the game, giving the Rays a 4-3 edge heading into the eighth. Nick Swisher had other plans, crushing a game-tying home run in the bottom of the frame before recording the big game-winning hit in the ninth, a single which plated Curtis Granderson.

Yankees win an emotional game for Sheppard and the Boss.

Later in the season, Steinbrenner was honored with a plaque out in Monument Park. The Yankees invited many of their former players and dignitaries, including Joe Torre and Don Mattingly. Everyone filed out to the area behind centerfield and another ceremony was held unveiling the plaque on Sept. 20.

Unfortunately the Yankees could not capitalize and win their 28th title the year of Steinbrenner’s passing. However, it’s important to remember that when he passed away, the Yankees were reigning champions.

It is only fitting that Steinbrenner went out a winner.

Well, that about puts a cap on 2010.

May 2011 bring many more great Yankee memories, and hopefully the 28th World Series Championship.

The Major League Baseball Winter Meetings are in full-swing and so far a number of deals have been completed. There are players on the move, players staying put, and some free agents who have drawn interest from teams, but so far nothing has happened.

Here’s a little rundown of some Winter Meeting notes and thoughts. As always, I’ll begin with the Yankees:

·Derek Jeter was reintroduced…well, not technically, but he had a press conference yesterday to announce his new deal with the Yankees. He told the media that he was upset with them because his negotiations became public. He wanted to keep his talks with the Yankees private.

I can’t blame Jeter for getting upset about it. If he wanted everything kept under wraps, in terms of negotiations, and did not want everything to become public knowledge, the media should have respected that. I suppose that’s the press these days; they stir the pot and bring out the worst of everything in professional sports.

I love how Jeter responded by saying he didn’t like the way he was portrayed. In fact, I’m glad he finally spoke up for himself. In his words, “All the sudden I have an ego? I’m greedy?”

Jeter has had respect for the media his whole life. Yes, I understand his interviews are about as boring as watching an entire soccer game, but he never crosses the line; he never breaks down and makes a spectacle of himself. Jeter never explodes in front of the cameras and microphones. He always gives the media a professional sound bite–which is his job as captain of the New York Yankees.

You would think after all those years the papers would have a little more respect for him. You would think they wouldn’t photo-shop his face on a Mets or Red Sox uniform. Well, I guess we all have to think again.

Jeter simply laughed at photo-shop nonsense.

At any rate, I’ve already offered the majority of my thoughts on the Jeter deal in my last video blog. Now that the deal is complete and I have offered all of my thoughts on Jeter’s “return,” I will no longer mention anything about it.

Jeter is back and we all knew he wasn’t going anywhere from the very beginning.

·Brian Cashman apparently sat down for dinner with Carl Crawford and his agent last night. Interesting, but he is also set to meet with the Los Angeles Angels. I don’t really expect him to come to the Yanks. However, it has been said that if the Yankees don’t sign Cliff Lee, they will probably make a bid for him.

I think the Angels will land him, or another team like the Red Sox will make a huge push for him. The Rangers are also looking to sign Crawford, as reported today by MLB.com, so Texas could be in his future. Although sources are now saying he is most likely headed to L.A. Right now nothing is certain.

What is certain is that Crawford’s deal is basically being held up because of, well… Lee. And…

·According to reports today, the Yankees offered Lee a preliminary deal. Lee’s agent Darek Braunecker claims a team is out of the sweepstakes (he wouldn’t say which club) and also stated he has “zeroed in on a few things.”

What that means, I have no idea. What I do know is that the Yankees and Rangers (obviously) are not the clubs that were eliminated from the sweepstakes. Today Cashman said that he is willing to “get serious” about Lee and the Yanks could possibly offer him six years at around $140-150 million.

Now that the Jeter drama has ended, I am tired of hearing about the Lee drama. I know he is the hottest free agent on the market this off-season, and all the teams that were contenders last year want to try and get him.

Yet, he is making himself look bad; it’s almost like the LeBron James decision revisited. I understand he is good enough to earn a fat contract, but he needs to make a decision already. I really hope wherever he goes, he wins a lot of games next year. God help him if he doesn’t. A lot of other deals are being held up because of him, including the future of…

·Andy Pettitte. According to ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian, Joe Girardi said he was going to reach out to Pettitte in a couple of days to see whether or not he has made a decision on his future.

Originally reported, Pettitte was leaning towards retirement. But other sources have now said he may want to pitch in 2011. If he does come back, I cannot imagine him pitching anywhere else but New York.

There was a report a few weeks ago claiming the Rangers contacted Pettitte. The report was later denied by Rangers’ President Nolan Ryan, who said the team never talked to Pettitte or tried to lure him away from New York.

Again, his future depends on what Lee does. If the Yankees sign Lee, their efforts to bring Pettitte back might subside, or at least dwindle. If the Yankees don’t land Lee, however, his decision regarding his future will certainly have an impact on the Yankees.

If you ask me, the Yanks should make a run for Pettitte any way it goes. If Pettitte chooses to pitch next season and the Yanks sign Lee, the starting rotation will be phenomenal. Lee would join CC Sabathia at the top half of the rotation, which would mean practically two aces pitching in success of each other. Both starters are capable of winning 18-20 games per season.

Add Pettitte to that mix along with Phil Hughes, who won 18 games last season. And even if A.J. Burnett has another off-year and only wins another 10 games, it’s not bad; if a team receives 10 wins from the fifth spot in the rotation, in my mind that’s a plus.

But as stated before, Lee needs to make a decision first–preferably sooner than later.

·Today the Chicago Cubs signed former Tampa Bay Rays’ first baseman Carlos Pena. He received a one-year deal at $10 million. Not bad for only averaging .196 this past season.

I’m just glad we don’t have to face him anymore. I was pretty tired of watching him these past few seasons, blasting the ball over the Yankee Stadium right field wall. I see it as a plus for the Yanks. Obviously Pena is not a great hitter for average but he does have pop. Maybe he can help the Cubs out.

·Jayson Werth went to the Washington Nationals on Sunday, agreeing to a seven year, $126 million contract.

I hope money buys happiness. Werth went from the Philadelphia Phillies, a team that in recent years is always contending and usually winning the NL East, to the Nationals–a team that basically fights for last place every year.

Werth has never driven in 100 runs in his career and at best is a good, above average right fielder. I don’t think he really deserved that much money and time. He is a good player, but not good enough for $126 million.

We’ll see if he lives up to that contract, and maybe in the distant future, the Nats will get better. I think they might be going in the right direction in terms of players–perhaps building around Stephen Strasburg and now Werth. But they won’t be making an immediate impact, that’s for sure.

·The A’s are interested in Hideki Matsui. Don’t do it, Godzilla!!!

·ESPN said yesterday that Kerry Wood might come back to the Yankees. I sure hope he does. Wood solidified the bullpen last year and was the only reliever worth anything in the postseason.

·Paul Konerko re-signed with the White Sox. Good for him! I look at him almost like Jeter. He has been with the organization for a long time and I cannot picture him with another team.

I hope he can continue to wow the fans on the south side and good luck to him this year. $37.5 million is a lot of coin and he earned it because of his good numbers year in and year out, coupled with his faithful service to the White Sox.

The Baseball Winter Meetings will conclude tomorrow in Orlando. Rule 5 drafts will take place and hopefully this Cliff Lee nonsense will end.

As I said, it’s like LeBron James. He and his agent are making things difficult and negotiations are taking a long time, probably because he can’t decide where he wants to go or what he wants to do.

Why don’t they just give him an ESPN hour-long special? Where will Lee take his talents next? All I know is, he better decide. Soon. Because I’m quickly becoming tired of hearing about it.

Last night, several memories from October of 2006 came back to me. That was a month which started off nicely and ended terribly. The Yankees had made the postseason after convincingly winning the American League East and were the favorites to win the World Series.

The Detroit Tigers dashed the Yanks’ dreams of winning the fall classic by eliminating them in the ALDS. What’s more, by the end of the month, my girlfriend broke up with me. Needless to say, in more ways than one, my spirit was overwhelmed within me; my heart was broken.

Minus the girlfriend issue, the same defeated feeling enveloped me after last night’s 6-1 loss.

The Yanks will not go back to the World Series to defend their crown and the Texas Rangers will represent the American League in the fall classic. Texas will face either the San Francisco Giants or the Philadelphia Phillies, pending the outcome of the NLCS.

28 will have to wait. Until next year, at the very least.

A number of things went wrong for the Yankees in the ALCS and there are plenty of things to consider heading into the off-season.

The ALCS: WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED?!

I’ll start with the obvious: Phil Hughes.

In the division series against the Twins, Hughes started Game Three and he was an absolute stud. The young righty shut the Twins down in seven scoreless innings of work and picked up the win in the clinching game.

When I heard Hughes was starting Game Two of the ALCS vs. Texas, I was confident. Knowing Hughes’s past against the Rangers and taking into account that he won 18 games during the regular season, I had a great feeling about his chances. After Game Five, I had said that Hughes possessed the ability to bounce back after a rough outing, and he usually did during the regular season.

Although those feelings were well-founded, it did not translate to anything good.

Hughes pitched 8 2/3 innings over his two ALCS starts and coughed up a total of 11 earned runs on 14 hits. He walked seven batters and struck out six, becoming a huge part of why the Yankees lost this series. He did not give the Yankees quality, he did not give the Yankees a chance to win the two games he started, and he put the Yankees in a tough spot heading into Game Three.

In both games Hughes started in the ALCS, he registered the loss.

If Hughes had been able to win Game Two, with the Yankees going into a Game Three vs. Jesus Christ A.K.A. Cliff Lee, things could have been quite different. Every news outlet had the Yankees defeated in Game Three at the hands of Lee, and unfortunately for the Yanks it came to fruition.

And speaking of Lee, he was another vital part of the Yankees’ failure to win the pennant.

In Game Three, Lee simply dominated. He made the Yankees look like Little Leaguers and his numbers this postseason (vs. Tampa Bay and New York) are absoluteLEE ridiculous.

·24 innings pitched

·13 hits

·Two runs (both earned)

·One home run allowed

·One walk allowed

·34 strikeouts

·Record of 3-0

·ERA of 0.75

Lee was plugged into the number three spot in the Rangers’ rotation because he started the final game of the ALDS vs. Tampa Bay and could not take the hill in Game One. If the pitching matchups had gone accordingly (Lee vs. CC Sabathia, ace vs. ace) I suppose things could have been different–not saying they would have, but who knows.

The Yankees would have had to face Lee tonight of they had gotten past the Rangers last night. I have a feeling now that it would not have gone well for the Bronx Bombers, but as I stated, anything can happen in a Game Seven. Would the Yanks finally have been able to get to Lee and finally remove him as thorn in their side?

Who’s to say what could have been. I guess it makes no difference now.

Another reason they were done for was the inconsistency in the offense. Save for their 7-2 Game Five win, when runners were in scoring position, the Yankee bats turned into ghosts. They could not get it done when runners were on second and third.

Prime example: Game Three. Brett Gardner led off with a single. Derek Jeter struck out, but Gardner moved to second on a stolen base. Nick Swisher grounded out allowing Gardner to move to third. Finally Mark Teixeira came up and was set back down, ending the frame without a Yankee crossing the plate.

They were only down by two runs at that point. They could not build the run; could not even cut the lead in half. And that was just one issue.

The two key players that needed to be producing and igniting the bats were about as silent as a 1920s picture film. Teixeira (before the injury) and Alex Rodriguez were as off as they could be and could not come up with the big hit when the Yanks needed it.

Teixeira was 0-for-14 in the ALCS before the hamstring injury put him out for the remainder of the year.

Rodriguez hit .190 in the ALCS with no homers, two RBIs, three walks and four strikeouts.

No offense, no pennant.

Teixeira and Rodriguez are two huge bats in the Yankee lineup. When they are not coming up when it matters, the Yankees do not win games. The offense went dead cold at the absolute worst time to go dead cold and as a result, they did not win.

Along with the offense, the middle relief served no help. Boone Logan, Joba Chamberlain, Sergio Mitre, and David Robertson practically gave it up in the middle-to-late innings in close games, notably Games Three and Four. In Game Three the Yankees were trailing by two runs entering the top of the eighth inning.

Because of them, two runs turned into eight runs, making it impossible for the Yanks to even attempt to mount a comeback in the last two frames. The Yanks lost Game Three 8-0.

In Game Four, the Yankees were only down by two runs (5-3) going into the late innings. Logan and Chamberlain both surrendered earned runs and Mitre gave up three, once again not giving the offense a chance to come back from a deficit.

The Yankees lost Game Four 10-3.

One last factor I believe was pivotal in the Yankees’ ALCS loss was Manager Joe Girardi’s decision in Game Four. I am not going to say A.J. Burnett pitched a bad game; that could not be anything further from the truth. He made maybe one or two bad pitches (notably the Bengie Molina home run) but other than that he held his own very nicely; decent command of his pitches, nasty breaking ball, and a fastball up around 96-97 mph.

However…

The Yankees were down two games to one. They had just been dominated by Lee and they were up against a pitcher who could easily be beaten in Tommy Hunter. Down by two games and in danger of going down 3-1 (which ultimately they did) I feel Girardi should have used CC Sabathia to get them back in the series.

Had Sabathia pitched Game Four, he would not have been on three days rest, but in actuality he would have been pitching on the fourth day of rest. I truly believe that had Sabathia started, pitched the way he usually does, and won Game Four, it would have gotten the Yanks’ morale back and things may have been different.

Burnett could have pitched Game Five on Wednesday afternoon and he probably could have won, especially if he had gone out and thrown the ball as well as he did in Game Four. Not to mention it would have given the Yankees a good chance to go up 3-2 on the way back to Arlington as opposed to down 3-2.

Again, who is to say if it would have been different. But I do know that if I were Girardi, I would have gone in a different direction down two games to one and going into Game Four. Using Sabathia on three days rest worked out perfectly in 2009.

If it worked then, why should it be any different now?

There were so many things not going the Yankees’ way; the Rangers had everything clicking for them. And for a team to win the World Series (let alone get to it) everything has to be going their way.

As for Next Year…

I expect a number of things to be different and the Yankees need to make a few decisions regarding some of their players.

·For one, Nick Johnson and Javier Vazquez should not be welcomed back. If the front office so much as talks to either one of these two at the possibility of coming back, they need to have their heads examined.

·Marcus Thames. Do they want him to be the everyday designated hitter or would they rather have an All-Star in Lance Berkman? It’s a toughie. Thames hit 12 homers and came up in some big spots during the season. But aside from being a DH, Berkman can play the field and alleviate some pressure on Mark Teixeira at first base.

·Something needs to be done about the catching situation. As much as I love Francisco Cervelli, he has no power and struggles in terms of throwing runners out. Jesus Montero and/or Austin Romine in 2011? We’ll see how they do in Spring Training…

·Derek Jeter’s contract is up. The Yankees need to pay the captain and show him some respect. I would say give him four years with the option for a fifth and pay him well.

·Mariano Rivera said at the beginning of the year that he doesn’t know if he is going to pitch next year. I get the feeling he will (call it a hunch) but like Jeter his contract is up. The Yankees need to make him a respectable offer and get him back.

·Andy Pettitte will be 39 years old next June and a groin injury sidelined him for the better part of this past summer. His contract is also up, so it’s certainly up to him what he intends to do. If he wants to give it another try and re-sign with the Yanks, great. But if he wants to hang it up, that’s alright with me too. He’s done pretty darn well for himself over the years.

·If I were the Yankees I would definitely hold onto Kerry Wood. Unlike the majority of the bullpen, he pitched like a champ in the postseason. If Rivera signs back, he is the perfect man to set him up.

·Carl Crawford is a free agent. The Yankees need to decide whether or not Brett Gardner is the left fielder of the future or if they want a player with a little more power in Crawford (19 homers in 2010). I heard it said best earlier this year: “Gardner is almost like a cheaper version of Crawford.” Very true. If you want my opinion at the moment, Crawford no. Gardner yes.

·The manager. Along with Jeter, Rivera, and Pettitte, Joe Girardi’s contract is up. There has been some speculation as to whether or not he will come back to manage the Yankees and I have heard some chatter about the possibility of the Chicago Cubs wanting the Yankee skipper to manage them.

That speculation has me wondering, especially since the Cubs recently told Ryne Sandberg they do not want him to manage them. Are they waiting to negotiate with Girardi? I’m unsure. Kim Jones of the YES Network tweeted last night that she expects Girardi to return. She is more of an insider than me, so right now I believe her.

But then again, anything is possible when a lot of money is involved. If the Cubs make him the right offer, he might be leaving town. And the question is, if he does leave town who replaces him? I certainly have no answer to that question.

·The biggest free agent of them all: Cliff Lee. This past July, Lee was literally within hours of becoming a Yankee. The Yanks were ready to ship out minor leaguers and money to Seattle and land the dominate lefty, but it was not meant to be. Texas swiped him out from under the Yanks’ nose and as a result, he helped lead them past the Yankees to the pennant.

Next year Lee is a free agent and according to several insiders, Texas will never be able to pay him, especially if the Rangers win the title; if Texas wins it all, Lee’s value will steadily rise and all the big market teams including the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels will undoubtedly be out to get him.

If you want my insight as of right now, Lee will be in pinstripes in 2011. When the Yanks almost got him from Seattle this year, Lee and Sabathia’s wives were talking about where he might live in New York.

Plus from their Cleveland days, Sabathia and Lee are great friends. In fact when they squared off against one another in the ’09 World Series, they spent time with each other off the field. Just from that, I have a feeling Lee is headed for the big apple.

Bottom line: we could not beat him so we might as well join him.

Derek Jeter usually says, “It’s a failed season if we (the Yankees) do not win the World Series.” The captain has the attitude of the late George Steinbrenner, and I know that somewhere in Heaven last night, the Boss had that disappointed look on his face; he was turning his head and throwing his hands outwardly as if to say, “The hell with this.”

I know that’s what I was doing.

I felt at the beginning of the season that a lot of the magic had left the team. I know Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and Melky Cabrera did not have the best years numerically this season (especially Cabrera) but they were all part of what made the 2009 Yankees so special.

While the yanks were getting beaten last night by a clearly better team in the Texas Rangers, I thought about Damon stealing two bases in one play and later scoring on an Alex Rodriguez double. I thought about Matsui single-handedly tearing apart the Phillies in Game Six of the World Series last season–an accomplishment worthy of the World Series MVP honor.

I even thought about Cabrera’s weak groundout that turned into an error in Game Two of the ’09 ALCS, in which Jerry Hairston came around and scored the winning run.

And then I wondered where that all magic went? It simply wasn’t inside the group of players known as the 2010 Yankees.

Yet it was inside the Texas Rangers and I tip my cap to them. I won’t act as a sore loser; I won’t be angry with them, they wanted it more. The magic that was in the 2009 Yankees is in the 2010 Rangers. Perhaps now they can do what the Yankees did last year; go into the fall classic and show the National League who rules the MLB.

In any event it was disappointing for every Yankee fan. We took a huge step forward last year, we seemed to be moving in the right direction but it was just halted at the hands of a hotter team.

Yet who knows what can happen next year. If the Yankees make the correct moves in the off-season, they will be the team to be beat. 2009 may serve as our modern day 1996, meaning:

The Yanks won it all in 1996. They lost it in 1997, only to go on a huge World Series winning streak in 1998, ’99, and ’00.

In 2009 the Yankees won the World Series, but came up short in 2010. Maybe 2011, 2012, and 2013 can be the next Yankee Dynasty.

We’ll see. Anything can happen in baseball.

At this time I’d like to extend a HUGE THANKS to everyone who read and kept up with Yankee Yapping this year. It was a fun season. I only wish it had turned out a little better in the end for our beloved Bronx Bombers.

The Yankee Yapping Facebook page is up to just over 730 “likes.” I hope it can grow a little more and maybe get up to 1,000 soon! Once again thanks for the support. This blog would be nothing without its loyal readers.

I’ll definitely be blogging during the off-season and over the winter while the hot stove cooks.

Just keep your heads up Yankee fans. And remember that we’ll always have 2009 and our 27 titles. It’s not the end of the world and the Yankees WILL be back on top in the future. It always happens.

The Texas Rangers will have to wait for another day. And if the Yankees have their way in the end, they will have to wait for another year.

Facing elimination in Game Five of the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees pulled through and beat the Rangers 7-2, coming off three consecutive losses. The ALCS will now move to a Game Six on Friday night with the Yanks now trailing three games to two.

No A.L. pennant for Texas yet. The Yankees are alive.

The Bronx Bombers broke out of their offensive slump in the bottom of the second, plating three runs to take command. Jorge Posada brought some redemption to himself following his unproductive pinch-hit at bat last night. The Yankee catcher ignited the offense with an RBI single to score Alex Rodriguez.

Later in the frame, Curtis Granderson singled to score Lance Berkman and Posada came around to score on a throwing error by Jeff Francoeur.

With the Yanks leading 3-0 in the bottom of the third, a scuffling Nick Swisher came out of his funk with a solo home run to left field, his first of the ALCS, putting the Yanks ahead 4-0.

Right after Swisher’s shot, Robinson Cano took Texas starter C.J. Wilson deep with a home run of his own, his fourth of the ALCS, giving the Yanks a convincing 5-0 edge. With the homer, Cano tied a record for home runs in the ALCS, becoming the 10th player in Major League Baseball history to have four homers in an LCS.

Josh Hamilton, who was 1-for-4 with a strikeout today, also has four homers this series.

In the bottom of the fifth, Berkman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly scoring Swisher, and Granderson smacked a solo home run in the eighth, sticking the proverbial nail in the Rangers’ Game Five coffin.

“I saw something in the players’ eyes; I saw determination and there was a good mood during batting practice,” Yankee manager Joe Girardi said to the media after the victory.

“I felt like they would do it, because as I have been saying they are resilient. We have been through difficult games and have bounced back. As a manager, you appreciate it.”

Texas only managed two runs off Yankee ace CC Sabathia, who was certainly in better control than he was in Game One of the series. Sabathia threw six innings and gave up two runs on 11 hits. He walked no batters and struck out seven.

Sabathia bent, but he did not break.

The only real pest for Sabathia was Matt Treanor, who hit a solo home run to left field in the fifth and drove in a run with a groundout to third in the sixth, which plated David Murphy.

Other than Treanor’s RBIs, Sabathia battled valiantly.

Kerry Wood followed Sabathia nicely and held the Rangers to no runs in relief, tossing two scoreless innings and only allowing one hit. He also picked Elvis Andrus off second base, his second pickoff of the ALCS. In Game One, Wood picked Ian Kinsler off first.

Mariano Rivera closed the game out with a scoreless ninth, giving the Yankees their first win of the ALCS since Game One.

Now the Yanks and Rangers will get their boots, spurs, 10 gallon hats, and stirrups, because they are heading back to Texas for Game Six on Friday night.

Phil Hughes (1-1, 5.70 ERA) will take the hill for New York, looking to push the series to a Game Seven on Saturday night. Hughes will be opposed by Colby Lewis (1-0, 1.69 ERA).

As I am well-aware, I did not blog about Game Four, because it was too difficult to even think about; too painful. Game Four basically personified this ALCS up until today, as the Yankees seemed to be in control only to have everything collapse on them. A.J. Burnett was dealing and pitching nicely, but along came Bengie Molina; he spoiled it with the two-run home run.

And from there…it turned ugly. A 10-3 loss and the Yankees’ backs are against the wall.

But they responded in a huge way this afternoon. Facing elimination the offense woke up and did what they needed to do to win. I had posted something derogatory about Swisher earlier in the day and (of course) as soon as I said something bad about him, he homered.

“Nick Swisher walks into a bar. The bartender says, ‘We have a drink named after you.’ Swisher replies, ‘Really? You have a drink named I stink in the postseason?'”

And as soon as I said that, he went deep. Figures. I’m just thankful he did something productive.

But if the offense clicks on Friday the way they did today, the chances of a Game Seven are very likely. Every Yankee hitter has practically been dormant for the past three games, but they awoke from their slumber today. Seven runs, nine hits, and they drew six walks.

They need just two more games like that and the pennant is theirs.

If you ask me, I am looking at this situation the same way I looked at the American League Division Series. Right now, there are factors working in the Yanks’ favor and things working against them…

For the Yankees

·Phil Hughes in Game Six.

Not only has he pitched in an elimination game and dominated (Game Three of the ALDS, October of 2007 vs. Cleveland) but he has done better on the road. Especially in Texas; after all (as noted several times) he nearly no-hit the Rangers in May of 2007. Not to mention, Hughes has not really had two consecutive starts in a row where he has been knocked around. When he lost this season, he usually bounced back with a solid game.

·Andy Pettitte in Game Seven.

Pettitte is the winningest pitcher in postseason history and in the only game he pitched in the ALCS, he was a stud. He made one mistake to Josh Hamilton, but other than that, he was lights out. Pettitte clinched Game Three of the ALDS this year and was on the mound for every clinching game in 2009, including the World Series.

·Game Seven, if the Yankees get there

The Yankees know what it’s like to play in a Game Seven. Texas has never been there. If the Yankees win on Friday, it’s a brand new ALCS; it’s winner-take-all. Game Seven is basically a one-game playoff. The Yankees know what it’s like to be in the position of win or go home in the ALCS. Texas has faced elimination in the past, but never in a Game Seven; not in the Championship Series.

And as we have all seen in the past, especially 2003 and 2004, ANYTHING can happen in Game Seven.

Anything goes and everyone is available. “No holds barred,” if you will.

·The Way Alex Rodriguez Swung the Bat Today

If the Yanks want to win, they need their cleanup man to hit. That’s the bottom line. Today A-Rod picked up one hit, walked twice, and scored a run, letting everyone know that he is not asleep and can come through when need be.

Rodriguez spent three years in Texas, dominating in offensive categories. Hopefully he can brush off some of that Texas power and dominate Arlington the way he did when he played there.

If A-Rod is on, look out Texas pitchers.

·Texas Record at home this Postseason

At home this October, the Rangers have only won one game, which was Game Two of the ALCS. They are 1-3 in Arlington, and they have only averaged 4.3 runs per game in their home ballpark this postseason.

Against the Yankees

·Cliff Lee in Game Seven.

It’s hard to ignore the giant elephant in the room. There’s no doubt that Lee was a monster in Game Three. A scary monster; more terrifying than Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Dracula, The Frankenstein Monster, Jaws, the Wolfman, and the Boogeyman combined.

I understand Halloween is almost upon us, but I really do not want to see a monster like Lee in a big game. I’d rather wait until Halloween to be afraid of things like that.

·Josh Hamilton

He has killed the Yankees this whole ALCS. With his fans in Texas cheering him on, and the fact that people are already talking him up to be the MVP of the series, Hamilton (like Lee) frightens me. He also has four homers off Yankee pitching, solidifying his status as a thorn in the Yanks’ side.

·Absence of Mark Teixeira

Yesterday, the Yankees’ first baseman was lost for the remainder of the postseason, running awkwardly to first base on a ground ball and injuring his hamstring in the process. Although “Big Tex” had not being producing much in the ALCS (0-for-14 in the series) he is still a presence; he still has that force about him that can scare pitchers and he has the ability to make a pitcher labor.

As bad as he was performing, he is still Mark Teixeira. He was there when the Yanks needed him to come through in Game One of the ALDS; that home run to untie the game is not far from my mind.

·Lance Berkman’s Fall

Going for a popup in foul territory today, the newly appointed Yankee first baseman took a bit of a tumble and landed squarely on his rear end. According to Girardi, Berkman will have to undergo some treatment before the game on Friday night.

“He hurt his lower back/upper glut,” the skipper said.

After the fall, Berkman stuck it out and played the remainder of the game. Today he was 0-for-2 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored, but he did not pick up a hit. That being said, there’s no telling how Berkman will swing the bat the rest of the postseason.

·David Murphy in Game Six

The 29 year-old outfielder smacked a home run and drove in two runs in Game Two off Hughes. If he does anything close to that in Game Six…needless to say, it might be a hugh-mongous problem.

Everyone must keep in mind that the Yankees know where they are. As Manager Girardi said, they are resilient; the have been down before but have come back to win, much like they did today. The skipper said that he is confident with his club and they went out today and played a good game.

And that they did. The Yankees undoubtedly played with soul today.

Now what every Yankee fan has to do now is just believe.

Believe in Phil Hughes.

Believe in the offense and their ability to score runs.

Believe in the bullpen.

Believe. Believe. Believe.

And to paraphrase Johnny Damon after Game Three of the ALCS in 2004,

“If there’s a group of guys who can do it, it’s us!!!” (I’m sorry I cannot call the Yankees “idiots.” Sorry Johnny. Wish you were still here, by the way)

The American League Championship Series is tied 1-1 with the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers are heading back to Yankee Stadium for Game Three, which will be played on Monday night.

Game One: Yankees 6, Rangers 5. And I don’t remember much about it.

My cousin Joe had a few people over at his place to watch Game One, and let’s just say I had a few drinks. I don’t get drunk often, but after Josh Hamilton’s three run homer, I figured I should start drinking. I felt I needed to ease the pain of a Game One Yankee loss.

But by the time the eighth inning came and the Yankees mounted their comeback, I was gone. Here is what I do remember about it:

·I told everyone at my cousin’s house that I one day want to have a son and name him “Merrill.” I have no idea why I said this or where that came from.

·There’s a picture of me sliding across the floor with my arms outstretched, as if to say “Safe!”

·I supposedly jumped on my friend Brian several times screaming, “They came back! They came back! I told you they’d come back!”

·When the Yankees started their rally, apparently I acted nuts, jumping up and down and waving my hands around like a third base coach.

For all the kids reading this, don’t drink. Alcohol makes you say and do weird things.

Yet there was certainly a lot to be happy about. The Yankees stole the game from under the Rangers; in all honesty, they were outplayed until the eighth. The Yanks really had no business winning the game, what with their ace CC Sabathia only throwing up four innings of five run ball. Sabathia uncharacteristically walked four batters and only struck out three.

In a word, the Yankee ace was off. He brought nothing with him to Arlington.

Dustin Moseley bailed him out with a great performance in relief and for his effort he registered the win. Kerry Wood also pitched in with a good inning and a pickoff of Ian Kinsler. And who else but Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth to pick up his 42nd postseason save and secure the thieved win.

Yankees go up 1-0. Fast forward to my hangover today.

Rangers 7, Yankees 2. And I wish I couldn’t remember anything about it.

Following in the footsteps of Sabathia last night, Phil Hughes brought nothing with him to the ballpark. The 24 year-old righty pitched four innings and gave up seven earned runs on 10 hits. He walked three batters and struck out three.

The Rangers pounded every mistake Hughes made. He was leaving his pitches out over the plate, missing locations, and the Rangers feasted. Especially David Murphy, who not only smacked a solo home run off Hughes, but also knocked in a run with a double.

Hughes started Game Three of the American League Division Series at home, but was put into the number two spot in the starting rotation because of his history, not only on the road but in Texas. Along with giving up fewer home runs on the road as opposed to home this season, Hughes nearly tossed a no-hitter against the Rangers in Texas in May of 2007.

I understand the logic of using Hughes in Game Two. Unfortunately it did not translate or pay off.

The only bright spot for the Yanks was Robinson Cano, who blasted a long home run into the upper deck in right field. It was his second home run in as many games, as Cano has certainly been swinging a hot bat this month.

The ALCS will now have to go at least five games, and the next three will be played on the Yankees’ turf.

Playing at the big ballpark in the Bronx probably doesn’t bother Rangers’ Game Three Starter Cliff Lee, who won two ALDS games on the road vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. Not to mention Lee shut down the Yankees in Game One of the World Series last year, puzzling the Yankee offense for a complete game win.

But the Yanks cannot let Lee and his hype get to them. It’s not an automatic win for Texas.

The Bombers win turn to veteran lefty and the winningest pitcher in postseason history, Andy Pettitte. At 19 wins, Pettitte will gun for his 20th in Game Three, looking to flip the “on switch,” if you will; erase the two subpar starts by Sabathia and Hughes in the first two games.

Overall it was a rough loss for the Yankees today. But I advise the Yankees and all Yankee fans everywhere to keep their heads up; do not assume Game Three is a loss because of Lee. The Yankees just have to be a lot more aggressive offensively than they were today (especially Mark Teixeira…it seemed he wasn’t swinging at any good pitches today).They just have to hop on Lee and swing the bat.

Everyone just remember a number of things during the off-day tomorrow

1)The series is TIED, the Yankees are not down. They are not facing elimination on Monday night and there is a little more margin for error in the ALCS because it is a seven game series.

2)The Yankees have been here before.

3)Anything can happen in October. Just because Lee has dominated us in the past does not mean he will do it on Monday.

4)A.J. Burnett will not see the ball in Game Four if the Yankees lose Game Three…but then again, he could have done exactly what Sabathia and Hughes did today (So everyone can probably stop crucifying Burnett and start worrying more about the rest of the rotation)

5)Everyone just relax. Enjoy some NFL action tomorrow and we’ll go back to the ALCS on Monday.